Hristijan Mickoski

The leader of the main opposition party in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) has urged the left-wing government to call early elections and to give up on a deal that would change the country's name in exchange for the chance to fulfill its NATO ambitions. 

The vice-president of Macedonia's main ruling Social Democratic Party, Petre Shilegov, on Wednesday confirmed that his parliamentary group has begun talks with its opposition rivals in parliament to persuade them to vote for the historic "name" agreement with Greece.

According to the results of the recent referendum in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia on its name deal with Greece, out of a total of about 661 thousand votes, 91.5 percent were in favor of the deal, compared to 5.6 percent who voted "no," while 2.8 percent of all ballots cast were invalid.

The conservative opposition leader in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) indicated a subtle shift in his stance towards the Prespes Agreement achieved with Greece, based on comments made in a show on broadcaster TV21.

The conservative opposition leader in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) indicated a subtle shift in his stance towards the Prespes Agreement achieved with Greece, based on comments made in a show on broadcaster TV21.

Implementing the agreement with Greece is a condition for its accession to the EU and NATO.

A meeting of political leaders in Skopje on Wednesday evening to debate the referendum on the name deal with Greece was disrupted when VMRO-DPMNE leader Hristijan Mickoski stormed out, claiming that not all parliamentary parties were represented. 

The meeting had been expected to set a date for the referendum, which, according to last month's deal, will be held in the fall.

A thousand-hour protest against the change of the Macedonian name occurred on the streets of Skopje. The strike also demanded early elections because of the state of the economy.

Thousands of Macedonian flags and flags of the opposition gathered outside the building of the Council of Ministers in Skopje

Some of the protesters wore posters saying "Macedonia will win".

During his visit to the Macedonia, UN mediator Matthew Nimetz said that issues about [Macedonian] "identity" are not part of his mandate - and that he had not heard the Greek side denying the identity of the people who live in Macedonia.

Macedonia's main opposition VMRO DPMNE party insists that its MPs' caucus in parliament stands united behind the new party chief, Hristijan Mickoski, elected in December - despite growing evidence to the contrary.

"The caucus is strong and united. All MPs are actively participating in the decision-making process within the organs of the party," VMRO DPMNE told BIRN on Thursday.